Into the Fire
by Willow Fireheart
Summary: Sequel to 'Outta the Frying Pan.' Dawn and Cassie meet an unexpected ally.


**Into the Fire**

Spoilers- Previous chapter  
Disclaimer- None of the characters in this fic belong to me, they belong to very rich people.  
Note- I am such a pushover. Connor as requested, but no Sam, sorry. There are hints for Supernatural but noting too overt.  
xxx

"Did you see that TA staring at you today?"

"He was not!"

Cassie giggled at the hopeful expression on Dawn's face. "He so was!"

Dawn shook her head. "No way. I mean, Connor Reilly? He's got bigger lips than I do. He's almost prettier than me!"

Cassie stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, staring at her friend in astonishment. "You like him!"

Dawn blushed. "I do not."

"You so do." Cassie did a little dance. "I can't believe it. You like the TA. He of the girlie lips."

Dawn crossed her arms. "Shut up."

Cassie laughed loudly.

Dawn's eyes narrowed. "I could start on Michael." There was a dangerous twinkle in her eyes. "O I could ring your Uncle Jack and tell him all about that little date you had last night… and how I didn't see you until this morning."

Cassie gasped. "You wouldn't!"

Dawn smirked. "Try me."

"Dammit." Cassie fell silent. She suddenly sighed. "Fine. Now what are we meant to be doing again?"

The girls started walking down the street again, only to come to a stop several houses down. They stood in front of a burnt out building.

"Willow sensed something here. Big time bad mojo she said. Demonic mojo, not the witchy stuff."

"And she wanted use to check it out?"

"Actually Willow wanted me to do some research on it." Dawn shrugged sheepishly. "Wills and the other Scoobies don't know I'm patrolling let alone that I've roped my roommate into it."

Cassie gaped at her. "Dawn! Your sister is going to kill you!"

"Which is why I'm not going to tell her yet. I'll wait until she's out of the country and then I'll tell her."

Cassie whistled. "You're far braver than I am."

Dawn frowned. "What was I supposed to do? All of a sudden Stanford is crawling with vampires. We were attacked coming home from the library! Buffy couldn't sit back and do nothing and neither can I."

"That's not the way she's see it," Cassie warned.

Dawn shrugged. "That's why I'm waiting for her to go back to England." She looked over at Cassie. "You ready?"

"For what?"

Dawn pointed at the burnt out building. "Looking for evidence. What did you think we were doing here?"

xxxxx

Cassie rubbed a hand across her forehead, leaving a black smudge behind.

Dawn scowled and kicked at a charred beam. "Well, this was a waste of time."

Cassie threw down the remains of a lamp. "I have no idea what I'm looking for."

"Some evidence that there was a demon here. Slime, a talon, whatever. All I'm getting is that funky vibe. Can't identify the demon from the vibe though."

Cassie sighed. "Can we just go home, please? We've got that paper due tomorrow."

"I already finished it," Dawn muttered, pushing aside a pile of ash with her foot.

"Well I have-N'T!"

Dawn spun at the sound of Cassie's frightened squeal. A vampire had grabbed Cassie by the back of her neck. His top lip was drawn back to show his fangs.

The vampire smirked. "Aren't I lucky? Dinner," he shook Cassie roughly, "and dessert."

Dawn snorted. "Vampires. Always thinking with their fangs."

"Dawn!" Cassie squeaked urgently.

"Oh right." Dawn pulled out a mini crossbow from behind her back.

The vampire tightened his grip. "Slayer! You'll hit your friend."

Cassie rolled her eyes. "Oh, for cryin' out loud!"

Cassie quickly twisted out of the vampire's grasp, stomping on his foot and thrusting her elbow into his solar plexus. She thrust her palm up into his nose, shattering the bone.

The vampire screamed, grabbing his nose as she collapsed into ash.

"Hey!" Cassie cried, a bit miffed about having her fight taken away so abruptly. Cassie's eyes widened at the sight of her 'rescuer.' Startled blue eyes stared back at her.

Dawn whimpered. This could not be happening. She was not Buffy. She was not Buffy. She was not Buffy.

The mantra didn't help. He still stood there, moonlight shining on his familiar face.

"Connor!"

"Dawn, Cassie. I…" Connor scuffed a foot against the pile of vampire dust.

Dawn cleared her throat and said the first thing that popped into her head.

"So you hunt demons too?"

xxx

The End!


End file.
